The pair, who have broken up at least once before amidst tension among Vicki's kids over Brooks's sincerity in the relationship, released a statement about closing this chapter on their lives:

After much prayer, thought, counseling, and consideration, we have decided to end our four year relationship. We both wish nothing but a great future for each other. We have come to realize that one can indeed love someone in their heart, but that the time may come for their lives to take separate paths.

The couple continues to say that -- while we'll see them as a romantic unit throughout the rest of this season of RHOC (because it was filmed from January through May of this year) -- they are most definitely broken up at this time.

The news probably comes as quite a relief for Vicki's bestie Tamra Judge and her daughter Briana Culberson, who maintained Brooks's intentions were never genuine.

I'm so curious to see how Vicki's dating life will play out on the next season of RHOC. She's not exactly one to sit on the sidelines and not look for love. Maybe a little help from Patti Stanger of The Millionaire Matchmaker is in order.